By ALAN SAYRE - AP Business Writer - Associated Press
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Two Louisiana power utilities of Entergy Corp. asked state regulators Tuesday to allow them to continue early development of a new nuclear generator — although no decision has been make on whether to actually construct it.
Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana are studying the possibility of a second nuclear generator at the River Bend Power Plant at St. Francisville. The filing with the Louisiana Public Service Commission does not ask for permission to actually build the reactor.
"Continuing the present development efforts will provide the companies with the needed information to properly evaluate all generation alternatives that can meet customer needs and position the companies to take action when it is appropriate," Renae Conley, CEO of the two utilities, said in a statement.
The Entergy units said the PSC request would preserve a schedule under which a new nuclear unit could be generating power as early as 2024, if the new plant proves feasible.
Through Jan. 31, the companies said they had incurred about $50.5 million in development costs related to the River Bend site. Tuesday's filing said those costs would continue to be deferred from customers' rates for now.
On Feb. 16, President Barack Obama announced more than $8 billion in new federal loan guarantees to build two nuclear reactors in Georgia — 30 years after the Three Mile Island nuclear accident stopped all new reactor orders. The loans were authorized by Congress in 2005. Obama cast nuclear power as both economically essential and politically attractive.
Entergy said the current federal funding level of $18.5 billion would cover two to three plants and an additional $36 billion in funding has been proposed.
Entergy Louisiana has 669,000 customers, while Entergy Gulf States Louisiana has 361,000 customers.
